Bucket Filling

Bucket filling is based on the book Have You Filled a Bucket Today? By Carol McCloud. It explains that everyone has an invisible bucket. When you do something kind for someone else it helps to fill their bucket, as well as your own. When you are unkind to other people you are dipping into their bucket. It's a great way to teach and encourage children to be kind to each other. 

In Room 2 each child made their own bucket out of coloured card. Throughout the week the children give each other bucket filling awards. This may be because they've seen the person do something kind for someone else or it may be a general compliment. By the end of the week the buckets are overflowing with bucket filling awards. Every Friday afternoon the children sit down and empty their buckets. It's a really positive way to end the week. 

Sometimes there can be a couple of children who have buckets that look a little empty. Towards the end of the week I choose two bucket filling fairies. Their job is to secretly spot those children being bucket fillers, then pop an award card in their bucket. This has worked really well and there's always a lot of excitement around who the bucket filling fairies are. I've used this concept right up to Year 5/6 and the kids love it (with the small change of bucket filling spies, instead of fairies!)

It would be a useful tool when establishing a positive classroom culture at the start of the year. I have chosen not to and have kept it as my wild card instead, introducing the concept at the end of Term 3 or beginning of Term 4. Last year I spray painted small plastic pots, but it's a lot more meaningful for the children if you can provide them with the time needed to construct their own bucket. 

If you have any questions or would like a copy of the resources I have created that give examples of bucket filling, dipping and the use of the lid please leave a comment. 

Current Bucket Filling display (2013) 

2012 Bucket Filling display